If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, your primary health care provider may provide a lot of instructions, including referrals to several medical specialists. You may be referred to an eye doctor, a nutritionist and a foot doctor. Diabetes makes you more likely to develop problems with your feet so having a podiatrist in Chicago on your health care team is very important.
You will need to see your podiatrist at least once every year but most diabetics see their podiatrist more often. In addition to examining your feet annually, your podiatrist will also help you with any issues that arise between annual exams. At your initial visit, your podiatrist will advise you how to take care of your feet so you can avoid complications.
People with diabetes may develop nerve damage that reduces their ability to feel pain in their feet. If you have this problem, you may need to see your podiatrist three or four times every year to ensure that you don’t have any blisters, ingrown toenails or cuts on your feet that could get infected and cause additional damage to the foot. Podiatrists often trim the toenails of their diabetic patients to ensure that the skin is not injured by patients cutting their own nails.
Your podiatrist may order special shoes or inserts to minimize the likelihood of foot complications after you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetic shoes are typically covered by insurance and can prevent calluses and ulcers that develop on the feet. Inserts relieve the pressure from the areas on your foot that frequently develop calluses. Diabetic shoes or orthotics are especially important if you have nerve damage that prevents you from noticing a sore on the bottom of your foot.
If your primary care doctor recommends that you see a podiatrist, it is vital that you follow his or her advice. People with diabetes must take extra care with their feet to prevent complications. A podiatrist in Chicago can help you recognize the signs of foot problems before they become critical. Your insurance plan may cover several visits per year with your foot doctor if you have diabetes.
